English Bible Presentation Sharing - Ezekiel Book, chapter 31, verse 13 in Erven Version

Ezekiel 31 : 1 (ERVEN)

On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said,

Ezekiel 31 : 2 (ERVEN)

"Son of man, say this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to his people: "'You are so great! Who can I compare you to?

Ezekiel 31 : 3 (ERVEN)

Assyria was a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches, with forest shade, and very tall. Its top was among the clouds!

Ezekiel 31 : 4 (ERVEN)

The water made the tree grow. The deep river made the tree tall. Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted. Only small streams flowed from that tree to all the other trees of the field.

Ezekiel 31 : 5 (ERVEN)

So that tree was taller than all the other trees of the field, and it grew many branches. There was plenty of water, so the tree branches spread out.

Ezekiel 31 : 6 (ERVEN)

All the birds of the sky made their nests in the branches of that tree, and all the animals of the field gave birth under the branches of that tree. All the great nations lived under the shade of that tree.

Ezekiel 31 : 7 (ERVEN)

The tree was very beautiful. It was so large! It had such long branches. Its roots had plenty of water.

Ezekiel 31 : 8 (ERVEN)

Even the cedar trees in God's garden were not as big as this tree. Cypress trees did not have as many branches. Plane trees did not have such branches. No tree in God's garden was as beautiful as this tree.

Ezekiel 31 : 9 (ERVEN)

I gave it many branches and made it beautiful. And all the trees in Eden, God's garden, were jealous!'"

Ezekiel 31 : 10 (ERVEN)

So this is what the Lord God says: "That tree grew tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It grew so big that it became proud!

Ezekiel 31 : 11 (ERVEN)

So I let a powerful king have that tree. That ruler punished the tree for the bad things it did. I took that tree out of my garden.

Ezekiel 31 : 12 (ERVEN)

Strangers�the most terrible people in the world�cut it down and scattered its branches on the mountains and in the valleys. Its broken limbs drifted down the rivers flowing through that land. There was no more shadow under that tree, so all the people left.

Ezekiel 31 : 13 (ERVEN)

Now birds live in that fallen tree. Wild animals walk over its fallen branches.

Ezekiel 31 : 14 (ERVEN)

"Now, none of the trees by that water will be proud. They will not try to reach the clouds. None of the strong trees that drink that water will brag about being tall, because all of them have been appointed to die. They will all go down into the world below�to Sheol, the place of death. They will join the other people who died and went down into that deep hole."

Ezekiel 31 : 15 (ERVEN)

This is what the Lord God says: "I made the people cry on the day that tree went down to Sheol. I covered him with the deep ocean. I stopped its rivers and all the water stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for it. All the trees of the field became sick with sadness for that big tree.

Ezekiel 31 : 16 (ERVEN)

I made the tree fall�and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death, to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below.

Ezekiel 31 : 17 (ERVEN)

Yes, those trees also went down with the big tree to the place of death. They joined the people who were killed in battle. That big tree made the other trees strong. Those trees had lived under the big tree's shadow among the nations.

Ezekiel 31 : 18 (ERVEN)

"Egypt, there were many big and powerful trees in Eden. Which of those trees should I compare you to? They all went down into the world below! And you, too, will join those foreigners in that place of death. You will lie there among the people killed in battle. "Yes, that will happen to Pharaoh and to the crowds of people with him!" This is what the Lord God said.